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Monday, October 10, 2016

When
developing Ouija: Origin of Evil, Blumhouse Productions’ Jason Blum
and Platinum Dunes’ Michael Bay, producers Brad Form and Andrew
Fuller were excited to work with Hasbro Studios on the opportunity to
expand dramatically the cryptic world of the mystical board. For this
terrifying chapter that would explore the origin of evil in one small
town, they would be trusting the franchise with a filmmaker known for
work that is as innovative as it is heart-racing.

Inviting
audiences again into the lore of the spirit board this Halloween,
Universal Pictures’ Ouija: Origin of Evil tells a terrifying new
tale as the follow-up to 2014’s sleeper hit that opened at No. 1.

The
production team approached visionary filmmaker Mike Flanagan, who
created Blumhouse’s 2014’s hit Oculus and this year’s
hold-your-breath thriller Hush. They gauged his interest in crafting
a chapter that delved into so much more of the legend of the board…as
well as putting his unique stamp on the series.

Flanagan
felt it would be fascinating to explore the superstitious culture of
the late 1960s’ Ouija for this chapter, as well as what secrets
laid buried beneath one family’s home…only to be unlocked through
the board. The horror maestro and his equally talented writing
partner, Jeff Howard, imagined the tale of sisters Doris and Lina
Zander, who grow terrified the more they learn about the family home
they share with their mother, Alice.

Blum
explains that when Alice begins using the Ouija board in her séances,
she thinks it’s great for business. He notes: “In the beginning,
Alice is not discovering anything evil, and it actually seems like
it’s a great thing. She thinks that she’s performing this amazing
service where—if you have someone in your life who’s gone—you
can come use the Ouija board and connect with them. Through Doris you
can talk to people who are no longer with us in this world. Initially
it seems like it’s not only good for business, but good for people
too.”

“There
was a lot of discussion about making a direct sequel to the first
film and expanding upon that narrative,” explains Form, “but that
felt like the easy answer. When we took a hard look at the source
material, we began to see that the story was right in front of us.
Who was the real ‘DZ’ who was haunting our characters in the
first movie, and what had been done to her so long ago that turned
her into the twisted spirit seeking out revenge upon anyone who
inhabited her home?”

Fuller,
who serves as Bay and Form’s production partner at Platinum Dunes,
shares how the film’s dramatic themes appeal to a broad base of
moviegoers, and that it was of utmost importance to all involved to
make this a story about a broken family…and not just a ghost story.
“If you strip away the supernatural elements, you’ll find a
family going through something extremely tragic and then extremely
frightening,” he says. “Audiences who wouldn’t necessarily seek
out a horror film will connect to this character-driven story.”

So
notes Form, a thriller centered on a Ouija board made the perfect
vehicle for relatable horror. “The idea that we could wrap a film
around this intense desire to contact those on the other side was
irresistible, and Ouija boards are so specific to that,” he
concludes. “Even people who don’t believe in spirits have such a
strong reaction to the game. This game has the power to turn
non-believers into believers, even if only for a moment.”

Opening
across the Philippines on Oct. 26, “Ouija: Origin of Evil”
is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia
Pictures.